Video released by Islam Awazi, the Turkistan Islamic Party's (TIP) official media outlet

The Turkistan Islamic Party, an al Qaeda-affiliated group, has released a new video of its fighters in Syria. The video, which is more of a slideshow, shows everything from its fighters taking a rest, fighting in combat, to training children in one of its training camps in Syria.

Some of the pictures, however, have been seen before in previous releases or on the TIP's Twitter account. One picture (at the 2:32 mark) was first posted online by the popular Dutch jihadist Israfil Yilmaz when he had a Twitter account. I previously covered this photo at The Long War Journal. Yilmaz was previously an independent jihadi going from group to group. He fought alongside the Sayfullah Shishani Jamaat within Al Nusrah and with Jund al Aqsa; however, he has since joined the Islamic State.

Al Muhajiroun, or Emigrants of East Africa, recently released a new press statement directed at the leaders and populations of several East African nations. The statement, which is entitled "We Are Coming", begins with a religious praise, followed by a declaration that Allah will grant them permission to "terrorize the frontiers of Somalia" just like he allowed Al Shabaab to "reign over Somalia." Further, the statement goes onto reinforce their emphasis on East Africa. "With the permission of Allah," the authors write, "our Jihad will defend the religion of Islam in East Africa and defend our brothers from African colonialists."

The statement then addresses the Muslims and governments located in East African nations. The authors demand that governments end all oppression of Muslims, and denounce democracy as an ideal that is incompatible with Islam. They implicitly reference the statements made and terrorist attacks committed by al Shabaab as "warnings" that state institutions have failed to heed. As a result, the authors continue, Al Muhajiroun has emerged to challenge their decadent and un-Islamic systems. "Our fight against disbelievers will not end until we see the Book of Allah dominating East Africa." This is likely a reference to a caliphate headed by Al Qaeda.

Uganda

The statement's authors briefly address the United Nations, which they blame for perpetrating abuses and atrocities against the Muslim people. However, the bulk of what remains in the statement is directed at Muslims living in specific areas of the region. First, they attempt to capitalize upon the grievances of angered Ugandans, while at the same time dismissing claims made by President Museveni that al-Shabaab has been defeated. "To our Muslim brothers in Uganda, for everyday that... Museveni continues to trample on you... we promise to soothe our hearts by the will of Allah... Museveni claims to have defeated... al Shabaab... where and how have you defeated al Shabaab?"

Museveni has taken a harsh stance on countering al Shabaab. Over 6,000 Ugandan soldiers are currently attached to the African Union force deployed in Somalia. In an editorial written on April 27, 2015, Museveni wrote that while al Shabaab had been "defeated," Ugandan citizens still needed to protect themselves. In order to meet this need, he called for the creation of "Local Defense Units" composed of trained, able-bodied citizens. Al Muhajiroun was most likely referencing this editorial in their statement.

Tanzania

Next, the statement addresses the people of Tanzania. The authors warn citizens to reject the false promises of democracy, noting that elections are "alien to all Muslims." They then call attention to Tanzania's crackdown against religious extremism, asking Tanzanian readers to acknowledge how the state has "silenced" shiekhs across the nation. Increasing religious tensions have been an issue for Tanzanian security forces. Despite its reputation as a bulwark for peace and democracy in an otherwise unstable region, the number of attacks against local Christian leaders and foreign tourists has steadily risen since 2012. As Dr. Andre LeSage noted in 2014, "The growing number of militant Islamist attacks in Tanzania demonstrates a nascent terrorist threat that can undermine peace and stability in yet another East African country." Al Muhajiroun's focus on Tanzania becomes more important in the context of the upcoming elections, which "could create a “perfect storm” that would exacerbate the threat" when combined with returning al Shabaab fighters from Somalia and disputes over the Zanzibar Islands.

Furthermore, the poor condition of Tanzania's security forces only serves to heighten the security threat of terrorism. It is largely agreed upon by experts that the country's military and police arms are under-resourced and poorly coordinated, rendering the government unable to secure its porous borders and combat rampant criminality (especially in the forms of illicit drug and arms smuggling). One aspect of al-Shabaab's modis operandi is to collaborate with criminal elements to further erode the state's influence and provide a source of income for ongoing and planned operations. The marginalization of conservative Islamist in mainstream politics has created a local impetus to wage lesser jihad--as opposed to foreign pull factors which may draw young men to a battlefield elsewhere in the world. In addition to this, al Muhajiroun's sharp criticisms of Western ideals (i.e. democracy) may ring true to many, as there is a perception in Tanzania that Muslims do not benefit proportionately from development and economic modernization efforts. The average unemployment rate for young adults across the country is 85%, a factor which can contribute to political violence.

Mombasa

While the rest of the statement deals with international or state institutions, the next segment is specifically directed at the city of Mombasa. "O brothers of Mombasa! Our hearts ache and our souls burn for you. You have stood firm in Islam and suffered untold humiliation." It is somewhat strange that al-Muhajiroun does not mention Kenya more broadly, but it is my opinion that they address Mombasa due to the fertile climate for recruitment there. Alternatively, it may be indicative of a future wave of terrorist attacks in the city. Tourism, which accounts for 15% of Kenya's GDP, is at the heart of Mombasa's economy. Terrorist attacks have rocked Kenya's coastal cities, heavily reducing tourist activities. By focusing on cities frequently visited by Westerners, thereby triggering travel warnings from diplomatic entities, al Shabaab has managed to execute a form of economic warfare.

Ansar al Sharia Libya has opened up an "Office of Public Services" in Benghazi today. The al Qaeda-affiliated jihadist group said that the opening of the office was the start of a "new project to enable the religion of Allah."

In the same statement, the group said that the office is composed of six departments, which includes: Department of Electricity, Department of Water and Sanitation, Protection of the Environment, Support and Supply section, Department of Registration, and the Department of Authorization. This move, however, should not come as a surprise.

The group has been involved in various aspects of Dawah, which includes missionary or general charity work to spread Islam. The Jamestown Foundation has noted that the group has been involved in this type of activity as far back as 2013. These activities, such as providing social services, allows the group to weave itself into the local society. It makes the local populace, in this case the residents in Benghazi under its control, dependent on the group to provide these aforementioned services.

As such, especially if the group can provide better services than the actual state or local governments, it allows for a positive image in the public eye. The fact that the group becomes ingrained into the local society makes it difficult for the group to be usurped. These activities are by no means new to al Qaeda groups.

For instance, the Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda's official branch in Syria, also partakes in similar activities. The Al Nusrah Front has long provided aid to those Syrian civilians under siege by the Assad regime. The Atlanticnoted in 2013 that a Nusrah convoy "loaded with cucumbers, tomatoes, canned products, rice, potatoes, cooking oil, bread, and other staples" fed various villages in eastern Syria in 2012.

Additionally, Ansar al Sharia Tunisia another al Qaeda-affiliated group in North Africa, was noted to be "helping clean streets, giving food, clothes, and medicine, as well as assisting in homes for old men." This type of activity, instead of overt, heavy-handed tactics has proved to be more beneficial in the long run for these groups.

An example is that of Ansar Dine, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) in northern Mali. When these three al Qaeda groups took over northern Mali after defeating the Tuareg rebels, National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), they were quick to impose a strict from of Sharia law. As such, this not only allowed for a French-led intervention, but also caused the groups to lose many allies in the local populace.

Al Qaeda has learned a lot from its mistakes in imposing Sharia too quickly in Mali, but it has also learned from its mistakes in Iraq with Abu Musab al Zarqawi. Zarqawi, who favored the heavy-handed tactics, made various enemies in the local Sunni tribes of Iraq, especially in Anbar province. This eventually led to the creation of the Sunni Awakening, which helped the United States in battling al Qaeda in Iraq.

The Ansar al Sharia brand phenomena in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and Yemen is due, in part, to these mistakes in Iraq. As my colleague Thomas Joscelyn noted in 2012, "Although the organization’s affiliates continue to operate under the al Qaeda name, the al Qaeda brand has been tarnished in Middle Eastern and African countries because of the group’s indiscriminate slaughter of Muslims." The usage of Ansar al Sharia was and is an attempt to gain back influence, respect, and support from the locals.

While jihadi groups are involved and interested in military and terrorist activities, the opening of this new office in Benghazi is another example that these groups are just as interested as winning the hearts and minds of the people under their control.

In a newly released video by Al Kataib Media, Al Shabaab's official media wing, the group highlights at least two attacks in Kenya. Part of the video is dedicated to the Mpeketoni attacks in neighboring Kenya last year. In that attack, more than 60 people were killed by Al Qaeda's branch in Somalia.

The video begins by showing several news segments describing the group's attack in the coastal Kenyan town. Several burned buildings and vehicles are shown while news anchors report on the horrible murders that took place in the town. The video then cuts to Kenyan troops arresting Muslims and what the group describes as committing other crimes against the Muslims of Kenya or Somalia. When the group first took responsibility for the attack, it said that Kenya's presence in Somalia and its "killing of Muslims" was the reason it conducted the attack.

The video then cuts to several Shabaab fighters walked across a field and then stopping in a wooded area to prepare for the attack. Next, the video then cuts to the attack itself. The video shows several burning buildings, dead bodies, and the group committing the murders before the fighters walk away. The video also featured an audio speech by its former emir, Mukhtar Abu Zubayr, who was killed last year in a US drone strike.

The most interesting aspect of the video, however, is that several Caucasian fighters were shown to be in the ranks of Shabaab. The faces of these fighters were blurred out and their nationalities were never showcased in the video. These fighters could be from the Caucasus, Europe, or even North America. The most well known Caucasian fighter that has fought for Al Shabaab is Abu Mansoor al Amriiki.

Al Amriiki, who's real name was Omar Hammami, was an American from Alabama who became a top leader in Al Shabaab before being killed by the group. According to The Long War Journal, Al Amriiki "served as a recruiter, financier, and military commander." The Long War Journal goes on to say, "He was even seen with Shabaab’s top leaders at a public eulogy for slain al Qaeda emir and founder Osama bin Laden in May 2011."

However, in 2013, the intelligence wing of Al Shabaab, the Aminyat al Mukhabarat, killed Al Amriiki and a British fighter named Osama al Britani. Al Amriiki, before he was killed, fell out with Abu Zubayr. In a move to consolidate his power, as Bill Roggio puts it at The Long War Journal, Zubayr had Al Amriiki and several other Shabaab leaders killed.

Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad (KTJ) is a relatively small Uzbek group operating mainly in Aleppo province. The group was formerly an Uzbek jamaat within the Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda's official branch in Syria. However, sometime in late 2014, the group split with Al Nusrah to become its own group. Despite splitting with Al Nusrah, the two groups enjoy close cooperation. KTJ also enjoys close cooperation with the Imam Bukhari Jamaat.

Imam Bukhari Jamaat, which is the largest Uzbek group in Syria, is a close ally to Al Nusrah and the Chechen-led Jaish al Muhajireen wal Ansar (JMA). Imam Bukhari Jamaat is one of the few groups in Syria that has its bayah (allegiance) to Mullah Omar of the Taliban (the other group is likely the Turkestan Islamic Party in Syria).

In this video, Abu Saloh makes two appearances. The first appearance is near the beginning of the video, which appears to show Abu Saloh taking part in the planning stages of the attacks. The second appearance is actually from a KTJ video. The video, which was originally uploaded by KTJ's official YouTube channel, was put into the Imam Bukhari video. The short clip just shows Abu Saloh showing off several weapons captured from regime forces in al Misat.

This is not the first time Abu Saloh has appeared in an Imam Bukhari video. On Jan. 20, Abu Saloh appeared in an Imam Bukhari video showing its efforts in the battles in Zahra and Nubl. I noted back then that this likely represents that Abu Saloh's KTJ works closely with Imam Bukhari. Recent events on the ground and subsequently shown in social media accounts corroborate this hypothesis. The most recent video only further highlights this. The fact that the two operate side by side should be no surprise as both are Uzbek groups that share the same areas of operation. Not only that, but Abu Saloh used to be part of Al Nusrah, which is a key ally for Imam Bukhari.

Still from a video released by Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad showing weapons captured during the fighting at al Misat in Aleppo.

In the last few days, the Assad regime lost several fighters during the battle for Al Misat in Aleppo province. Several jihadist organizations took part in this assault, including the Al Nusrah Front, Imam Bukhari Jamaat, Jabhat Ansar al Din, and Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad.

Furthermore, based on pictures released by these respective groups, it can be determined that Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad maintains a very close relationship with Al Nusrah, as well as Imam Bukhari Jamaat. This comes after the Katibat broke away from Nusrah after undisclosed reasons to form its own independent group. It should come as no surprise that Katibat, an Uzbek group, is working with Imam Bukhari Jamaat, which is the largest Uzbek group in Syria. I first speculated this in my initial report on Katibat here.

Take a very close look at the photo above. Those same weapons are seen in a picture released by Sayfullah Shishani's Jamaat, which is a Chechen faction of the Al Nusrah Front (al Qaeda in Syria).

Photo released by Sayfullah Shishani's Jamaat showing the same weapons.

Additionally, Imam Bukhari Jamaat has also released a picture showing the same weapons. The group has also published several pictures on its site. One picture includes Katibat's emir, Abu Saloh. This image is similar to what was shown in Katibat's video, which indicates that Imam Bukhari fighters were present during the filming of said video. This is also not the first time Abu Saloh has appeared in Imam Bukhari productions. See my initial report of Katibat to read more on him.

These pictures can be seen below. (Note: The picture of the weapons is kind of blurry, but the orange generator is visibly noticeable)

Above: The same weapons can be seen from Imam Bukhari. Below: Abu Saloh can be seen in the middle.

All groups have also publicized the Assad regime soldiers they have captured. However, it is not known if the fighters shown by Sayfullah Shishani's Jamaat, Imam Bukhari, and Katibat are the same. However, Jabhat Ansar al Din has published a video showing a couple fighters they captured during the fight. This group, which is actually a coalition, consists of the Chechen Jaish al Muhajireen wal Ansar (the Syrian branch of the Caucasus Emirate), the Moroccan Harakat Sham al Islam, and the native Syrian Harakat Fajr al Sham al Islamiya. The video below has the logo of Harakat Fajr al Sham al Islamiya:

The Uqba bin Nafi Battalion, a jihadist group that operates in Tunisia, is quite the interesting group. It has ties to both Ansar al Sharia Tunisia and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which is al Qaeda's official branch in North Africa. Part of why it is so interesting is that there seems to be a deficiency of readily available information on the group. From information gathered from social media and experts in the field, I've found some fascinating information. I am hoping to clean the situation up, so to speak, on some misconceptions of the group I see on social media.

But first, it is important to know the basis of the name Uqba bin Nafi. The name derives from an Arab general by this name, who conquered the Maghreb for the Umayyad Caliphate. As such, he is a legendary figure, especially for those in the Maghreb. This carries over to its new media wing, the "Descendants of Uqba media". Below is a graphic from its (now suspended) Facebook page, courtesy of Gilles. N on Twitter:

Operationally speaking, however, who are they? According to the Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium (TRAC), the battalion was initially set up by AQIM to recruit Tunisians and then put them through rudimentary training before sending them off to larger AQIM training camps in Algeria, Libya, or Mali. However, the group also seems to operate offensively inside Tunisia, as well. In July 2014, the group was responsible for an attack in the Chaambi Mountains that left 14 Tunisian soldiers dead and 20 others wounded. Additionally, on Dec. 18, the group published photos showing its spoils of war gained from attacks on the Tunisian military. In that same document, they also claimed two attacks on the Tunisian military. You can read my reporting of this over at The Long War Journal, by clicking here.

The group showing its "spoils of war" from the Tunisian military.

But the group, through a supporter Twitter page, has also documented and showcased at least one of its training camps in Tunisia. A few photos were uploaded to this page in late December and then were quickly disseminated by its supporters and other jihadists and jihadist sympathizers. The camp, which appeared to be very rudimentary indeed, showed more than a dozen recruits training in an open field. One photo can be seen below:

Uqba recruits training in an open field in Tunisia.

Uqba's ties to other groupsAs I said earlier, the group is tied to both Ansar al Sharia Tunisia and AQIM. In a Combating Terrorism Center report, it was stated that the group is essentially a joint project between the two aforementioned groups. The report later goes on to describe the group as fitting in with AQIM's strategy for Tunisia. Furthermore, Magharebiahas noted that the leader of Uqba, Khaled Chaieb (real name Lokman Abou Sakhr), is close to AQIM's emir, Abdelmalek Droukdel. Indeed, Magharebia describes Chaieb as Droukdel's "henchman."

A very interesting assertion of the Combating Terrorism Center report is that Uqba is also concerned with attacks outside of Tunisia. The report notes that alleged Uqba fighters were behind an attack on an Algerian army base at Khenchela, which is in northern Algeria. The report also notes that Tunisian security officials have alleged that several Uqba fighters have also fought in Mali prior to joining the group. Moreover,the report asserts that Uqba could operate in Mali, as well.

Some have reported that the group has switched alliegance to the Islamic State, but Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, confirmed to me that even from the beginnings of the group, "it was extraordinarily clear where its allegiance lies." He continued by telling me that being a joint project between AQIM and Ansar al Sharia Tunisia, it should be clear that its allegiance is to AQIM.

Indeed, in a recent video released by the group, a speaker identifies Uqba as being part of AQIM. The video has since been deleted from YouTube, but I discussed this fact on Twitter. Below is a screencap of me discussing this on Twitter:

The bottom tweet reads: Identifying as part of AQIM should dispel rumors the group swore bayah to IS.

Not only that, but one frame of the video cuts to a graphic showing the pictures of Osama Bin Laden, Ayman al Zawahiri, and Abdelmalek Droukdel. The frame can be seen below. (I apologize for the horrible quality, but the video was not filmed in anything close to high definition)

The above picture of the media wing, "Descendants of Uqba media", also included a statement calling themselves the "lions of the base of Jihad". "Base of Jihad", of course, refers to al Qaeda as in Arabic it is referred to as Tanzim al Qaedat al Jihad--especially by its Syrian branch, the Al Nusrah Front. It is also worthy to point out that in the aforementioned post with the pictures of the "spoils of war", the group did not claim those attacks in the Islamic State name. The group did not mention the Islamic State nor did they mention al Baghdadi in claiming those attacks on the Tunisian military. Some may point to the the group using the Islamic State-style of flag, but this is a misunderstanding.

That style of flag was first popularized by al Qaeda in Iraq (indeed, this group is now the Islamic State) and then spread to other al Qaeda branches. One can find this style of the black standard in the ranks of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, al Shabaab, Ansar al Sharia Tunisia, Ansar al Sharia Libya, and even some elements of AQIM and even in Ansar Dine in Mali. Using that style does not necessarily mean affiliation or affinity for the Islamic State.

Switching to its ties to Ansar al Sharia Tunisia (AST), it is important to remember AST's own al Qaeda connections. AST was noted as being "ideological aligned with al Qaeda and tied to its affiliates, including AQIM" by the US State Department. Moreover, the group has been added to the UN's list of al Qaeda affiliated individuals and entities. But its ties to al Qaeda goes much further than that. Below is a list of just a sliver of work done by my colleague Thomas Joscelyn over at The Long War Journal. He has done an excellent work of documenting these ties.

This is not to say that the Islamic State has not taken some members from the group. It is possible that some fighters from Uqba has defected to the Islamic State, especially in the Kairouan region according to Daveed Gartenstein-Ross. However, Gartenstein-Ross told me that Uqba quickly made sure to say that the "Kairouan branch spoke for itself". Indeed, he went even further and explained to me that it is important to look at the leadership level of Uqba to understand its allegiance.

However, the Islamic State has also previously released a video featuring Tunisian jihadists in Syria calling on jihadists in Tunisia to pledge allegiance to the Islamic State. While no group was mentioned by name, it is likely they were referring to Uqba and AST. "This is very similar to Ansar Bayt al Maqdis," explains Gartenstein-Ross, "where the Islamic State called on its supporters in that group to pledge allegiance before any official statement from the group." So far, Uqba is firmly keeping itself in the al Qaeda camp.

ConclusionFrom all this, it is reasonable to assume that Uqba is still an al Qaeda franchise in Tunisia. While some members have likely defected to the Islamic State or some have expressed support or sympathy, it seems the group as a whole is still loyal to al Qaeda.

It is also reasonable to assume that unless dislodged by the Tunisian military, the group will continue to operate as usual. It is likely the group will continue to recruit and train for AQIM, as well as attack Tunisian military positions and operate alongside AST. It could also be possible another attack outside of Tunisia could be undertaken by the jihadist group.

UPDATEOn Feb. 18, 2015, Uqba took responsibility for an attack on Tunisian military personnel in the Chaambi region that left four dead. In a statement of responsibility released online, the group makes very clear where its loyalty lies.

Right before the Basmala (the opening statement in white, which is an Islamic phrase that means "In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful"), the group clearly states:

"A significant message from the Katibat (Battalion) Uqba bin Nafi, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb." Keeping with the trend in the aforementioned video and Facebook post, the group is more open about who they are and where their loyalty lies.

Officials fear that over 2,000 Baga residents were killed in what Amnesty International calls "the deadliest attack in Boko Haram's history." The assault, which occurred Wednesday, is the latest in a bold series of moves by the group. On January 3, 2014, Boko Haram, an al Qaeda-linked group, seized a key military base outside of Baga that was responsible for combating arms proliferation and human trafficking. According to government officials, the Nigerian military has responded by deploying ground assets to the district for combined arms operations in tandem with the air force.

Abba Hassan, the district head of Baga, stated that the majority of casualties from the attack were women, children, and the elderly. Violence in Nigeria has displaced roughly 1.5 million people since the conflict Boko Haram began, while over 10,000 were killed by the insurgency last year alone. Moreover, there are signs that Boko Haram plans to regionalize their threat. Earlier this week, a video warning of attacks in Cameroon was released by the group.

The events of this week should illustrate to regional and global leaders that Boko Haram remains a ferocious entity capable of enormous destruction. These are not small attacks, but coordinated operations involving a substantial amount of resources. Evidently, ongoing efforts to erode their capabilities have not been successful. Perhaps a reevaluation of current strategies is in order.

Screen grab from a promotional video showing off a training camp ran by the group. The group's flag can be seen in the foreground.

On Dec. 28, 2014, a video was uploaded to YouTube showing off a training camp ran by a relatively unknown and obscure group. The group, Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad, was shown practicing firing light machine guns (see picture above), shooting from technicals, martial arts, and how to repel down a building. But who exactly is this group?

I also reached out to Joanna Paraszczuk of From Chechnya to Syria and Under the Black Flag over at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. While she also told me that she did not know much about this group, she did, however, confirm to me that they appear to be an Uzbek group. The language of its media wing is in Uzbek and its fighters speak in Uzbek when on camera. She also told me that the group is likely small as she reiterated that the major Uzbek group in Syria is the Imam Bukhari Jamaat. This group fights alongside Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda's official branch in Syria, and has its bayah (loyalty) to Mullah Omar of the Taliban.

Knowing that Tawhid wal Jihad operates in Qalamoun and Aleppo, which are two places Al Nusrah Front operates, it is likely they operate alongside them. Indeed, this is evident by the video showing its participation in the Zahra and Nubl assault--which also saw Ansar al Islam and Jaish al Muhajireen wal Ansar (the Caucasus Emirate's Syrian branch) participating. However, it was later found that the group actually used to be a part of Al Nusrah before allegedly splitting with them to become its own independent group. It is also not known when the group split from Nusrah, but the uploader of the video on Facebook said this below:

The uploader says that they were formerly in Nusrah, but have since formed their own "katiba" (battalion)

If the group has split from Nusrah, it is likely it still enjoys good relations with other allies of Al Nusrah, specifically the aforementioned Imam Bukhari Jamaat. On its official YouTube page, Imam Bukhari has released three videos of a lengthy of a lengthy speech made by a figure named Abu Saloh Hafizahulloh. In a screen grab from one of these videos, the viewer can clearly see Al Nusrah's flag sitting behind him (seen below).

Screen grab from a video from Imam Bukhari Jamaat

In various videos produced by Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad on YouTube, a similar figure is shown. In the video from Zahra and Nubl, he is shown speaking to the camera near the frontline. In another video, he is shown before almost two dozen fighters again speaking to the camera. Abu Saloh also makes an appearance in the training camp video. And in one video released by Imam Bukhari, he was identified as the emir of this group.

Screen grab from a video showing Abu Saloh near the frontlines of Zahra and Nubl while operating alongside Al Nusrah

Screen grab from a video from Sept. showing him speak before almost two dozen of his fighters. The Al Nusrah flag can clearly be seen flying in the background

Screen grab from a video uploaded by Imam Bukhari Jamaat identifying Abu Saloh as the emir of Jannat Olshiqlari which appears to be its former name in Al Nusrah but this has not been confirmed

So it appears to be a relatively small Uzbek group that used to be an Uzbek jamaat (group) within Al Nusrah. It seems unlikely that this is the same Uzbek jamaat within Nusrah that the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, an al-Qaeda affiliated group that operates in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has recruited for in the past. That Uzbek group is called Seyfuddin Uzbek Jamaat and is lead by Abu Hussein according to my friend and colleague Bill Roggio over at The Long War Journal.

While it is not known when this group allegedly split from Nusrah, if such an event did occur it is likely the two groups still operate alongside each other. This is based on operational history of the group, its area(s) of operations, appearances in allied media, as well as quite possibly personal relationships of Abu Saloh. Additionally, we know that the group has several dozen fighters in its ranks. From the video in Sept., almost two dozen fighters are shown. In the training camp video, which was just released last week, around the same number is shown.

In the coming weeks and months, hopefully more information can be gathered on this group.

UPDATE

In a new YouTube video uploaded by the group, it seems likely that a split did indeed happen between this Uzbek faction and the Al Nusrah Front. The group is going by the name Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad and it even has its own logo now. It would also appear that the group does still operate alongside Al Nusrah, as the same video features its fighters involved in the new offensive at Zahra and Nubl in Aleppo. The video shows the group operating at least one tank and several technicals, as well as several large DIY mortars to support Al Nusrah and other allied groups.

Older videos of the group usually showed fighters beneath or alongside the Al Nusrah flag, in the recent videos uploaded by the group this flag is nowhere to be found. This also indicates a split was likely to have happened. One video shows the leader, Abu Saloh, behind the group's flag whilst giving a speech. While the good majority of the group's name is blocked, one can still see it bears the group's name as well as the traditional black standard flag used by Al Nusrah. This same flag is seen throughout the full length video showing it's training camp in Aleppo. It is unclear if the recruits shown in the video are also Uzbeks or other Central Asians or if the recruits are native Syrians. Stills from these videos can be seen below.

The group's new logo used on its official media releases

Screen grab from a recent video showing the group's usage of a tank near Zahra and Nubl

Screen grab from a recent video showing the group using at least two DIY mortars near Zahra and Nubl

Screen grab from a recent video showing Abu Saloh along with the group's flag

UPDATE 2In a recently released video by the Imam Bukhari Jamaat, Abu Saloh makes another appearance. The video shows Imam Bukhari fighter before a battle, burying their dead, as well as surveying the battlefield. At around the 2:00 minute mark, Abu Saloh makes his appearance. While other faces are blurred out throughout the video, his face is not.

It is very possible that Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad cooperates and coordinates with Imam Bukhari, as both are Uzbek groups and both have mutual ties to Al Nusrah. Not only that, but their areas of operations is very similar in that they both operate in Aleppo province and both have taken part in the Zahra and Nubl offensives.

Screen grab from a Turkestan Islamic Party video showing a suicide bomber from the group in Syria

Last week, I explored several pictures and a video produced by Islam Awazi, the Turkestan Islamic Party's (TIP) official media wing, alleging to show its fighters in Syria. While not much information was given about the fighters in Syria in the video, it can be determined that several dozen fighters fight in Syria under "Turkestan Islamic Party in the Land of Syria". It can also be determined that they fight under the loyalty of Mullah Omar of the Taliban.

Additionally, other pictures were found on Twitter showing this branch in Syria. These pictures again show at least several dozen fighters. Keeping up with the TIP's trend of publicizing children in its ranks, some pictures also show children with them in Syria. Other photos show at least two tanks, but it is unsure if these tanks are operational or not. In one photo, a woman is shown with an SVD sniper rifle; this photo may, however, be a promotional picture. And other photos show two fighters on an anti-aircraft weapon. [For more on this, see my previous article here]

In a new video I discovered, Islam Awazi showcased two suicide bombers that detonated in Syria. One of those fighters (shown above), detonated during an operation conducted by the Al Nusrah Front in Idlib. Al Nusrah is al Qaeda's official branch in Syria. Based off of the TIP's relationship with al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, this shouldn't be a surprise that TIP fighters in Syria operate alongside al Qaeda. The operation this fighter was involved in made international headlines when another Nusrah suicide bomber was found to be an American.

Abu Hurayra al Amriiki detonated on regime positions in Idlib on May 27, 2014. Al Amriiki detonated with three other fighters and according to Al Nusrah, one was from the Maldives, one Syrian, and another from Turkestan. Thomas Joscelyn, my colleague over at The Long War Journal, covered this by saying this is "likely a reference to Central Asia or China."

The second suicide bomber (first chronologically in the video) is shown before his operation talking in front of a camera and behind a row of trees. The background for the segments of the video dedicated to him also appear in Idlib. My friend and colleague Aymenn al Tamimi also told me that the background appears to be that of Idlib. However, this fighter's detonation was never shown in the video. The video also ends by showing a montage of various suicide bombings undertaken by the TIP in Afghanistan.

The other suicide bomber featured in the video

While it cannot be completely confirmed that fighters showcased in this video belonged to the TIP, the fact that Islam Awazi dedicated a video to two Uyghur militants in Syria makes it seem likely that they might have been. Moreover, if these fighters did, in fact, belong to TIP, then that means the TIP has conducted suicide operations in Syria. Not only that, but that means the TIP has conducted suicide attacks to support al Qaeda outside of Afghanistan.

It also appears the group is running a Shariah school for children in Syria. See the picture below:

Based on the TIP's history of running training camps for children and based on the weapons behind these kids, it could be possible this Shariah school is connected to a training camp where these kids are being taught to use such weaponry. Similar schools have been showcased with various other groups in Syria.

UPDATE 2:New tweets have been posted by Islam Awazi this morning. One tweet confirms that the second suicide bomber discussed above was also a member of the TIP and did detonate somewhere in Idlib. That picture can be seen below:

Additionally, they confirmed my suspicion that they are running a training camp for kids somewhere in northern Syria. It is likely in Idlib, but it could be in Latakia according to Aymenn al Tamimi. Several children are shown in this camp training with weapons, martial arts, and in Shariah as seen above. A picture from this series of tweets can be seen below: